COVID-19 Update 7
3 step framework for a COVIDSafe Australia
National Cabinet has released a 3-step framework to gradually remove baseline restrictions and make Australia COVID-safe. Australia has so far been highly successful in ‘flattening the curve’. We can now begin to take careful steps to ease some of the restrictions that have helped us suppress the spread of this virus.
States and territories will implement these changes based on their specific COVID-19 conditions however, this is a very important pathway that the Federal Government is paving to get you back to work and back to normal.
We aim to get through our three step roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia and get Australia working again by July this year. So long as Australians keep living and working in a COVID safe way, we will be able to keep case numbers low and continue taking steps on the pathway to relaxing more restrictions.
COVIDSafe App
The Australian Government has launched the new voluntary coronavirus app, COVIDSafe.
COVIDSafe will speed up the process of identifying people who have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus, quickly stopping further spread of the virus in the community.
COVIDSafe can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play and is an important part of the road out of this. Five million Australians have downloaded the app and made their own independent decision that it is a rational and safe choice. For the good of our society, for the good of themselves and their families and for the good of each other.
If you have any questions regarding COVIDSafe, please contact my office on (02) 9899 7211.
Urgent support for Mitchell charities and community organisations
The Morrison Government is providing an immediate funding injection to more than 300 charities and community organisations. Mitchell will receive almost $1 million in additional funding to support Australians in the wake of the coronavirus economic downturn. As part of the Government’s new Community Support Package, Anglican Community Services, Hills Community Aid, The Salvation Army, St Vincent De Paul Society NSW and Wesley Community Services will receive funding assistance.
JobKeeper program
Payments are rolling out this week for the $130 billion JobKeeper program, a $1,500 per fortnight wage subsidy to support 6 million Australians.
The Morrison Government is also working closely with financial institutions to ensure that businesses affected by the coronavirus can access important bridging finance to pay their employees ahead of receiving their JobKeeper payments.
New COVID-19 payment to keep senior Australians in residential aged care safe
Residential aged care providers will benefit from an additional COVID-19 specific support package totaling $205 million. It takes the total COVID-19 specific Federal Government funding for aged care to more than $850 million.
Free Coronavirus Mental Health and Well-being Support Service
A new 24/7 support service specifically designed to help people through the COVID-19 pandemic is now available free of charge to all Australians.
For free 24/7 mental health support during the coronavirus, please visit - https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au or call 1800 512 348.